Bowling Green Hot Rods second baseman Emilien Pitre (7) bats in the Hot Rods’ 6-3 win over the Tourists at the Bowling Green Ballpark on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Hot Rods take the first two games of the series with game 3 Thursday night. GRACE MCDOWELL / DAILY NEWS

Emilien Pitre went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Adrian Santana collected a four-hit game with two runs scored, leading the Bowling Green Hot Rods to an 8-1 win over the Winston-Salem Dash on Friday in South Atlantic League action at Truist Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The Hot Rods (32-28) started the scoring in the top of the first inning against Dash starter Lucas Gordon. Aidan Smith and Pitre collected back-to-back base hits, putting runners on the corners. Mac Horvath lifted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Smith, giving the Hot Rods a 1-0 lead.

Winston-Salem (23-38) responded with a run in the bottom of the first against Bowling Green starter Hayden Snelsire. Jeral Perez, Braden Montgomery and Jackson Appel all singled to load the bases. Samuel Zavala hit a sacrifice fly to center, plating Perez, tying the game at 1-1.

Three more runs came in to score for Bowling Green in the top of the third with Gordon still on the mound. Carlos Colmenarez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Santana doubled, putting runners at second and third. Smith brought in both runners with a double and advanced to third on a throwing error from Jeral Perez, making it a 3-1 Hot Rods lead. Pitre scored Smith on a sacrifice fly, increasing the lead to 4-1.

Bowling Green kept the offense rolling in the top of the fifth against Winston-Salem reliever Jake Peppers. Daniel Vellojin and Colmenarez walked and Santana singled, loading the bases. Pitre drove in Vellojin and Colmenarez with a single, making it 6-1.

The Hot Rods put the finishing touches on a great offensive night with two more runs in the top of the sixth against Dash reliever Connery Peters. Colmenarez and Santana singled to put runners on first and second. Pitre and Jhon Diaz recorded back-to-back RBI base hits, pushing the lead to 8-1.

Seth Chavez and Adam Boucher kept the Dash silent the rest of the way, locking up an 8-1 win for Bowling Green.

Snelsire (3-2) picked up the win, tossing six innings while allowing just one run on six hits, striking out four batters in the process. Gordon (1-7) was given the loss, surrendering six runs on eight hits, walking two and striking out three over four innings.

The Hot Rods and Dash play the penultimate game of the series on Saturday with a 5:30 p.m. CT first pitch at Truist Stadium. Bowling Green will send out right-hander TJ Nichols (5-2, 3.86) against Winston-Salem lefty Frankeli Arias (1-2, 4.05).